Author                   : Chihuahua

Date                        : 4th September 2002

Disclaimer                : I do not own any of the TRA: JQ characters, therefore I am not making any cash out of this fic. All unrelated characters belong to me. Kindly ask for my permission before using them.

Category                : Not really sure what it should be… but I swear there's no HR this time.

Rating                    : G

Archiver's Permission: Granted to those who want it, just let me know where it can be found.

Note                       : This is something inspired by a TV commercial… I'm not sure if it was NYPD Blue or something, but the kid's chanting somehow disturbed me, and well, I decided to write something. I didn't have anyone in mind when I wrote this, so you're free to put anyone who you think is suitable in. My writing is getting weirder…

NOBODY LOVES ME, EVERYBODY HATES ME

                The woods were dark as I stumbled through it, even more mysterious than usual. Each branch seemed to be in my way, as though it were to keep me away from something. Like a secret it had to keep from the rest of the world.

                But I wasn't in the mood to be stopped. Not that tonight.

                I slapped aside any branch in my way as I kicked my way through the undergrowth, oblivious to my surroundings and the eerie aura it exuded. I had to get away, and nothing would stop me.

                Then, I heard it. Soft chants, almost a song coming from deeper in. It was then I realized how deathly quiet the place had been. The voices were clearer now, stronger as I continued to push my way through. There was a childlike quality about the chants, but the tune… it was ghostly.

                I continued to fight my way through, and suddenly emerged in a circular opening in the woods. The opening was bare, devoid of any vegetation at all, a bare piece of earth staring unforgivingly up at the velvety darkness. Tonight, a singular silver orb graced the dark heavens, casting its light upon the circle.

                And in the circle, a much smaller ring was moving, first clockwise, then anti-clockwise. A ring of children, laughing and singing. It was a slightly unnerving sight.

                I was transfixed. Their youthful voices rang out true and clear now. I could make out the words to their song. "Nobody loves me, everybody hates me…" They simply repeated the chant over and over again. There was a sense of sadness and oldness in the song albeit the childish voices.

                Without knowing it, I had drifted closer to the circle. They never stopped moving, never stopped singing, but one of them offered me a hand, inviting me to join them.

                I accepted it. Their song reflected how I felt anyway. I joined hands and chanted with them, moving along with them.

                It seemed to go on forever, and I was tiring. I tried to let go, but the others held on to my hands firmly. Then suddenly, I was flung into the middle of the ring. They continued to circle me. But their expressions had changed. They seemed somewhat angry.

                "You're not one of us!" they sang, a harder edge to their tones now. "You're not one of us!"

                I tried to stand bravely, but my fear made it hard for my face to remain clear. "What… what do you mean?" I stammered.

                "You're not one of us," they continued to sing. "You're wanted. You're not one of us!"

                "I don't understand."

                "You have love. You have warmth. You have a home," the song was rising to wails now. "You have FAMILY!"

                I covered my ears, trying to block out the hideous shrieking, but to no avail as nothing could filter out their words.

                "You have love! Warmth! Home! FAMILY!" they continued to shriek.

                "What about you?" I screamed back, trying to be heard over the din.

                Their faces lost their uncharacteristic anger and their features softened to sadness. "We're the unwanted. The unloved. Unneeded."

                "Why are you here?"

                "We have nowhere else. No one else," their voices had also lowered, and they had regained their singsong rhythm, but their pitch was lover now, more sombre.

                "You don't belong here. You don't belong with us. Go home!" The wail escalated again. "Go HOME! HOME… HOME… HOME…" Their wailing escalated further, filling the air, ripping the solitude of night.

                I closed my eyes, covered my ears, trying to block it all out. Nothing worked. I saw them now, moving. Still moving after so long. Moving faster now. Faster and faster, till there was nothing but a blur. Their song endured, the haunting melody lingering in the air. "Nobody loves me, everybody hates me…"

                And then, it was gone. All of it. No more singing. No more blurs. I ran and ran. I punched and kicked my exit, caring only to finally get out. Behind, the I heard them again, "Nobody loves me, everybody hates me…"

                They were right, I didn't belong. I had everything they did not. For the first time, I saw past the wall of bitterness, and saw a safe haven. My haven.

THE END